Leadership
Our owners and management team are experienced professionals who lead with care and compassion.
Leadership
Introduction
Meet Our Owners
Hal Baumchen | PSYD, LP, LADC
President, Clinical Director, and Co-Occurring Disorders Specialist
Jason Vanderscoff | LADC
Chairman of the Board
Jason is the Chairman of the Board of NorthStar Regional and was formerly the CEO NorthStar Regional and Five Stars Recovery Center. He is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC). His responsibilities include overall strategy, program development, financial oversight and provider contracting. Jason has also served as the CEO of CD Recovery Services, DRS Acquisitions, and Cx Technology Services. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.
Introduction
Meet Our Executive Team
Tim Walsh | M.A., L.P. DPA
Chief Executive Officer
Tim Walsh is the NorthStar Regional’s Chief Executive Officer. He completed his doctorate in public administration at Hamline University in 2012. He received his Master of Arts degree in counseling psychology from St. Thomas University in 1993. Tim earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with double majors in Social Sciences/Psychology and Biblical Studies from the University of Northwestern, St. Paul.
Tim has been licensed as a psychologist since 1998. He also has over 28 years of experience as an administrator in the fields of behavioral health, human services, and corrections. He is a former executive leader with Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. Tim’s heart is to have a significant, positive impact on people, in their journey to life recovery and transformation.
John McGinnis | LADC
Chief Operating Officer
John has worked in the health care field for thirty years, twenty-seven of those years have been spent in the CD field. He has held several roles in the field of Chemical Dependency and MICD. He has gained a wealth of experience working with adolescents and adults at NorthStar Regional, Five Stars Recovery and other institutions in the state of Minnesota.
John has been a leading force in the quality of our client care. Client care and the client experience in treatment have long been John’s passion. As COO, his goal is to bring his experience, knowledge and leadership experience to all NorthStar Regional Programs and Corporate Operations.
Jonathan Holt
Chief Marketing Officer
Jonathan Holt serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at NorthStar Regional, where he brings more than three decades of profound expertise in marketing, communications, and operational strategies, spanning both traditional and digital marketing landscapes. Before assuming his current role, Jonathan held the position of Director of Marketing at ESCO. Prior to that, he led international marketing endeavors at Starkey Hearing Technologies, making a substantial impact on the company’s global presence.
Jonathan’s educational background includes a degree in Advertising, which he earned from Collins College in Tempe, Arizona. His career journey is marked by an unwavering commitment to driving strategic marketing initiatives, fostering organizational growth, and achieving impactful results within the dynamic and ever-evolving field of marketing and communications.
Annette Pearson | MS, LADC, CBIS
Chief of Programs & Services
Annette has worked in the field of behavioral health care for 32 years, with 25 of those being specific to SUD. Starting her career as a tech, Annette went on to achieve a B.S. in Psychology and Master’s in Guidance & Counseling while she continued to accumulate greater responsibilities and director roles within various other organizations in the field of SUD and Mental Health. Adding in her role as a DHS licensing peer reviewer, certification as a Brain Injury Specialist, extensive conferencing lecturing experience, service on the MARRCH education committee, and so much more, we are overjoyed to bring Annette on board.
Bringing passion to her role. Annette’s focus revolves around improving client care with evidence-based practices and cutting edge treatment modalities while training, supporting, and educating counselors and staff entrusted under her supervision.
Introduction
Meet Our Director Team
Sarah Brown
Vice President of Operations
Sarah Brown, recently promoted to Vice President of Operations at NorthStar Regional, brings a wealth of leadership experience and a proven track record of success. In her previous role overseeing the Admissions Department, Sarah played a key role in driving significant growth in administrative processes and fostering a supportive team culture. Now, as Vice President of Operations, she focuses on building efficiencies, working directly with leadership on expansion initiatives, and collaborating with various departments to support the overall growth of our organization. Sarah’s dedication to NorthStar’s mission, vision, and values is evident in her leadership on projects that encourage and support staff. Her expertise in data-driven decision-making further positions her as a valuable asset to the executive team. Her promotion recognizes her outstanding contributions to building strong teams, fostering teamwork, and ensuring the continued success of NorthStar Regional.
Riko Armstrong
Compliance Officer
He attended Northern Colorado University and earned a BA in Journalism and Sociology. After undergrad, he joined the US Navy and obtained a master’s degree in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in Fraud Management from Colorado State University. As a Navy Veteran with a decade of experience in the compliance field. He did two deployments to the Persian Gulf, a special assignment in the Naval Recruiting District, and a tour in Bahrain. Additionally, he was a career counselor, mentorship coordinator, security officer, and suicide prevention, coordinator. He has earned a certificate in Leadership in Professional Ethics and Compliance. He is a former Compliance Director at MNTC. He has a passion for helping people and is currently working on becoming a licensed mental health professional.
Justin Michaud
Director of Revenue Cycle
A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2014, Justin holds dual degrees in Economics and Communications. Following his graduation, he gained valuable experience as a Quality Assurance Analyst at Epic, a leading medical Electronic Health Records company, along with a 5-year tenure as a Billing Manager at Procentive. During this time, he played a pivotal role in catering to the billing needs of over 130 mental health, SUD, EIDBI, and ARMHS agencies across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Washington. Justin is a valuable contributor to the growth and success of NorthStar Regional, enabling us to serve an increasing number of clients each year. He is deeply committed to facilitating access to essential care and simplifying the ever-present complexities of insurance, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to receive our crucial healthcare services.
Jeanine Jackson
Director of Human Resources
Jeanine graduated from Metropolitan State University with a Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration (MPNA) in 2019, her undergraduate focus was Human Resource Management. She has over 11 years of experience in HR and compliance in the nonprofit sector, tribal/government sector. She is an Adjunct Professor/Community Faculty at Metro State where she teaches ‘Contemporary Native American Issues for Nonprofits and Government’. Her published work can be found in the Journal of Nonprofit and Public Affairs. She has a passion for and background in the recovery, mental health, SUDS community and sits on the Association of Recovery Schools board.
Jeanine has collaborated with the University of Chicago Chapin Hall in Washington DC on a national strategy to end homelessness, and was a presenter at the National Alliance to End Homelessness 2021. She has presented her research, taught, and designed coursework in many other capacities. She is an enrolled member of Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians her tribes are Ojibwe (enrolled), Potawatomi, and Cree descendent.
Sharufa Sanguma | RN, BSN, PHN
Director of Nursing
Sharufa Sanguma is a passionate and dedicated nurse with 17 years of healthcare experience across various medical settings, including acute and subacute nursing care, and mental health. She has a proven ability to provide direct patient care in fast-paced environments and excels as a collaborative team member, ensuring patients receive the highest level of care possible.
Throughout her career, Sharufa has worked as a travel nurse with Aya, served as an RN Case Manager at Good Samaritan Society, and held the position of Interim Director of Nursing at Estates of Roseville. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Presentation College and is aiming to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice with a specialty in Mental Health.
Sharufa is blessed with three beautiful children—two boys and one girl—and loves to travel around the world.
Jackie Kerkow-Dohmen | MSW, LICSW
Mental Health Clinical Director & Clinical Director, Sugar Creek
Jacki has worked in the mental health field since 2012 and has a Master’s of Social Work from Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is currently licensed as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker. Prior to starting at NSR in 2021, Jacki primarily worked in outpatient mental health clinics with clients who struggle with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) doing ARMHS/CTSS throughout Rice and Scott County.
As a lifelong learner, Jacki has enjoyed learning about the world of chemical dependency and the connection to her experiences with SPMI. As a clinical supervisor, Jacki not only enjoys working with clients, but she also enjoys supervising other clinicians as they work toward licensure. Most recently, Jacki was trained in Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), which is a specific form of therapy (similar to EMDR) that helps clients process difficult or traumatic memories and uses a trauma focused lens in her work with clients. She looks forward to getting more involved with the mental health clinic and expanding mental health services in the community.
Rafael Lewis | MA, LADC
Treatment Director, NSR Southern Campuses
Rafael Lewis serves as the Treatment Director for NorthStar Regional’s southern campuses, including the Men’s Shakopee Residential Program. He joined NSR in December 2022 as the Program Director for the Shakopee Men’s Residential Program (MRTC), where he successfully led a large team and significantly improved the client experience. Rafael collaborates closely with the Clinical Directors at the Chaska and Shakopee facilities to enhance client experiences and works alongside the Program Manager to improve non-clinical activities, ensuring comprehensive support for all clients.
Rafael is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) and is currently pursuing an M.A. in Counseling and Psychological Services at Saint Mary’s University in Minneapolis, aiming to become a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC). His primary focus is on client services, striving to ensure that individuals have a smooth experience and benefit fully from NSR’s extensive range of programs. Passionate about recovery, mental and physical health, and overall well-being, Rafael is also a proud husband and father.
Tanya Mittelstaedt | LADC
Clinical Director, WRTC
Tanya Mittelstaedt is our Clinical Director for our Women’s Residential facility in Chaska (WRTC). Her dedication and expertise have made a profound impact on our community. Tanya earned her LADC through an internship at Hazelden in 2018 and joined NorthStar Regional in 2019, providing exceptional counseling to the women at our Residential Program.
A strong advocate for maintaining a healthy home/work balance, Tanya’s dedication is evident in her favorite part of the job: “how many women we are helping… We are not able to help them all find recovery, but I’m confident we’re planting seeds.” With over eight years in recovery herself, she offers a valued perspective that enriches our team and supports the women we serve. Describing herself as an open book, Tanya balances being intimidatingly honest, unexpectedly hilarious, and unconditionally trustworthy. When she takes time to relax, you can often find her at a beach, preferably one on a Disney Cruise. Please join us in congratulating Tanya on her well-deserved promotion and celebrating her continued dedication and the positive impact she brings to NorthStar Regional.
Amy VanHouten | ADC-T
Men’s Riverwood Residential Program Director
Amy is an accomplished individual who graduated with High Honors from MCTC in May 2022, specializing in Addiction Counseling and Psychology. Currently, Amy is pursuing a double major at Metropolitan State. Amy gained valuable experience through internships at NorthStar Regional’s Maple Grove IOP facility and NSR’s Otsego (Riverwood) facility. Her involvement in various NSR programs at the IOP and residential stages of our continuum of care, allowed her to witness growth on a personal level before advancing to the role of Residential Program Director.
Amy’s proficiency in managing employees and ensuring compliance with DHS policies and procedures showcases her exceptional organizational abilities. She is devout to her field and is an absolute driving force behind the NSR programming at Riverwood.
Madilyn Myers | MA, LPCC, LADC
Men’s Riverwood IOP with Lodging Program Director
Madilyn Myers is NorthStar Regional’s Program Director for our Otsego location. As a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC), Madilyn has experience working with clients to build their insight on mental health and its impact on their addiction.
Throughout her career, she has kept client-centered care as a focus, working with clients to identify their strengths, increase resilience, and motivate clients to overcome their roadblocks in life. Madilyn is a graduate from the University of South Dakota with an undergraduate degree in psychology and communications, and a masters degree in clinical mental health counseling.